Shelving



the base or elsewhere.

NITED STATES JULIUS GOTTFRIED, OF CHARTIERS, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHELVING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,289, dated April 14, 1891,

Application filed December 6, 1890- derial No. 373,708. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs Gorrrnmn, a resident ofOhartier-s, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line as w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of a modified arrangement. Fig. at is aplan of a shelfbracket, the upright or post to which it is fastened being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form of bracket. Figs. 6 and 7 are plans of plates provided with sockets for the insertion of posts. Fig. Sis a partial plan of a tube suitable for a post, showing holes to receive screws.

Numeral 1 indicates a base provided with plates 2, having holes or sockets 3, adapted to receive the uprights 4. These are preferably made of metal tubing and screw-threaded at their lower ends and adapted to be screwed into suitable sockets on the plates secured in This base may be the top of another article of furniture-such as a bureau or counter-if desired.

5 indicates a rectangular cap or molding, which can be made of metal and is provided with holes 6 to receive and hold the upper ends of the posts. These holes are conveniently made in a flange 7, turned inwardly at the bottom of the cap.

8 denotes a tie bar or rod adapted to stiffen the cap at a point between its ends.

The shelves 9, made of any suitable material, are supported upon brackets 10, secured upon the posts. Thesebrackets are provided with short tubes, which can be slipped upon the posts and held thereon by screws 11. The brackets have holes 12' to receive screws, whereby they may be fastened to the shelves. The shelves may be made of a width about equal and not greater than the distance between two adjacent posts, so that they can be readily introduced between them.

The above-described parts are assembled in w an obvious manner. The socket-plates are first secured in any suitable base and the posts inserted therein. The brackets are then slipped upon the posts and adjusted to the desired height and fastened by screws, the posts being supplied on the inner sides with screw-threaded holes 15 to receive them. The cap is placed upon the top of the posts, and the shelves are then placed upon the brackets and between the posts and secured to the brackets.

In case intermediate shelves are desired brackets 13, such as represented in Fig. 5, are employed. These have semicircular sockets 14, that can be applied to the posts between the shelves or below the cap, and do not require to be passed over the tops of said posts. They provide for readily subdividing the space between two main shelves or any part thereof without removing the main shelves or the cap. These intermediate shelves can be easily introduced in any desired number, and this operation is not only provided for by the brackets 13, butby the size of each shelf, it being no greater in width than the space between adjacent posts, wherebyit canbe readily pushed into place. It hasbeen customary to notch the shelves in knockdown shelving of this general character to receive the posts and to adapt them to fit between them around the outside thereof. Such notched shelves cannot be conveniently applied to the posts v in a narrow vertical space, such as occurs where shelves are to be placed near to each other. The notches also are objectionable when it becomes desirable, as comtemplated by my improvement, to move the intermediate posts toward one end of the series of shelves. Thus, for example, it may be desirable in a tier or series of shelves to provide a firmer support at or toward one end than is required at the other, in which case the intermediate posts can be moved from a central position to one nearer the end requiring greater strength, suitable holes 6 being provided in the cap. Such an adjustment in my shelving could be effected without cutting the shelves and without leaving unsightly notches at the point from which posts have been moved. in such l case the intermediate socket-plates can be moved if such were not originally supplied in the base.

It will be obvious that the intermediate shelves above referred to need not be longer than the distance between two lateral posts, i and as this distance is adj ustable, as set forth, I it is practicable to adapt a tier of shelves to support large and heavy objects at one I end and small ones at another, both the vertical and longitudinal spaces being suitably adapted to the requirements of any particular use. It will be obvious that the shelves need not be rectangular, but can be made in other forms and'variously arranged. They l can be adapted to corners of rooms and other positions, and such changes are contemplated, but not such as involve substantially different constructions.

In Fig. 3 is shown a partialsection looking down upon two shelves arranged at an angle to each other. By this construction two tiers of shelves can be arrangedat an angle to each 1 other, or several tiers can be arranged around an open space, forming what may be called a hollow square.

The above-described shelving is adapted for a great variety of uses, and can readily be adapted to receive articles of various weights and sizes without the necessity of cutting or seriously marring any part thereof. It is firmly held by the base, cap, cross-bar, and main shelves, and is adapted to receive l intermediate shelves in close proximity to l each other without the necessity of knocking 1 down and setting up the shelves again, and it i is also adapted to permit the moving 0t interi mediate posts without alterin or cutting the shelves.

Having thus described my invention, what ldesire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The shelving consisting of the base provided with sockets at each end and at the middle transverse line, the posts titted in said sockets, intermediate sockets, the brackets having tubular sleeves fitting the posts and secured thereto and to shelves, said shelves having a width not greater than the distance between said posts, and the cap having the internal flange provided with holes fitting on the tops of said posts, and also with intermediate holes, and the brackets 13, having sockets semicircular in cross-section and adapted to be applied to the posts held in position by the base and cap, substantially as set forth, whereby shelves of various lengths can be used and whereby short intermediate shelves can be introduced.

2. The shelving consisting of the base provided with sockets, the posts titted in said sockets, the brackets having tubular sleeves fitting the posts and secured thereto and to shelves, said shelves, brackets 13, having sockets semicircular in cross-section and adapted to be applied directly to opposite posts to support shelves, and one or more intermediate shelves removably supported 011 said brackets 13, substantially as set forth.

in testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS GOTTFRIED. Witnesses:

HENRY U. EVERT, litnNJ. R. UATLIN. 

